“The horehound has been part of our European medical history for around 2000 years and was once one of the most popular medicinal plants” and: “Anyone can plant the horehound in their garden. It grows very well in a sunny place. ”Reports Dr. Johannes Gottfried Mayer from the Institute for the History of Medicine at the University of Würzburg. But what a contradiction to reality? When the world-renowned specialist in medicinal plants also finds that the active ingredients, which are mainly used in the Medicinal plant found in the Mediterranean region can currently only be found in two medicines for colds would be. Incidentally, as we have found in our research, this seems to be more or less the case for many plants that are assigned to monastery medicine if we look at the course of the Chronicle "Medicinal Plants of the Year" look at something closer.
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| 2001 | arnica |
|---|---|
| 2002 | Stinging butcher's broom |
| 2003 | artichoke |
| 2004 | peppermint |
| 2005 | Garden pumpkin |
| 2006 | thyme |
| 2007 | hop |
| 2008 | buckeye |
| 2009 | fennel |
| 2010 | ivy |
| 2011 | Passion flower |
| 2012 | licorice |
| 2013 | Great nasturtiums |
| 2014 | Ribwort plantain |
| 2015 | Real St. John's wort |
| 2016 | Real caraway |
| 2017 | Real oats |
| 2018 | Horehound |
Medicinal and curious effects of horehound
From antiquity to modern times, the horehound was assigned a wide variety of healing effects. In addition to its use for lung diseases and strong coughs, the horehound's areas of application include broken bones and sprains, cramps and even consumption and asthma. The above-mentioned Walahfrid Strabo even went a little further and praised the horehound not only for "severe oppression of the chest", but also as a quick remedy Poison attacks, for example by angry stepmothers: “Should the stepmothers prepare poisons with hostile intent and mix them into the drink, or monkshood to spoil in deceptive ones Much food, a drink of the medicinal horehound, consumed immediately, drives away the life-threatening dangers. "(Quote:" Medicinal plant of the year 2018 "Source: World Heritage Monastery Medicine)
Horehound from our own herb garden
The cultivation of plants for pharmacological use takes place today mainly in Eastern Europe or Morocco. Horehound is rarely closed at locations that are actually typical for medicinal plants, such as roadsides, on pasture land or in forests find and is even on the red list of threatened species in some European countries that are no longer collected to be allowed to. In the home garden, it thrives on nutrient-rich, moderately dry soils, is easy to grow and spreads just as quickly without being attacked by pests.
Convent medicine for the medicine cabinet
The preparation of teas is completely uncomplicated and is best done with the leaves of other plants mixed to help with digestive and respiratory problems, as Dr. Mayer recommends. "The bitter substances promote the flow of bile, which is helpful in fat digestion," said the medical historian and continues: “It probably only declined as a medicinal plant because bitter is no longer so popular is".
When preparing for medicinal purposes, it is best to use the upper tips of the shoots during their flowering period in June, which extend over a length of approx. 10 cm can be cut off. After thin layers of drying with good ventilation, aroma-protected drying is particularly important in order to preserve the valuable components of the medicinal plant.
As a precaution, we would like to point out that the information we provide cannot be used to identify and / or treat illnesses or physical complaints yourself. In such cases, please always contact a doctor or pharmacist you trust. Our next topic also focuses on maintaining health, on which our diet has a significant influence, especially in winter: